Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: How Many Days by Each Route

Facts checked November 2026.

Many families ask, “Kailash Mansarovar yatra kitne din ki hoti hai?” The honest answer is that it depends on the route. The government yatra takes about three weeks, while private yatras through Nepal or Tibet take roughly 9 to 14 days, plus some spare days for weather and visa work.

This page is part of our Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Guide. Planning the yatra? See our Kailash Mansarovar yatra packages.

How many days does the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra take by each route?

Here is a simple side-by-side view. The government figures come from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for the 2026 season, which is the most recent yatra. The private route figures come from our own package itineraries.

For a fuller comparison of the paths themselves, see our Kailash Mansarovar yatra routes guide.

Why does the government yatra take about three weeks?

The MEA yatra is organised by the Government of India. For 2026, MEA selected 1,000 yatris by computerised draw on 21 May 2026, to travel in 20 batches of 50 from June to August. The MEA yatra website lists the Lipulekh route with 10 batches and a duration of “about 22 days”. Press reports of the 2026 notice give about 21 days for the Nathu La route, and IANS reported that 10 batches of 50 pilgrims (500 in all) used Nathu La, with the first batch crossing on 20 June 2026.

The yatra is long because it includes medical checks and slow, staged travel through the mountains. On the Lipulekh route, the 2025 season plan reported by All India Radio had yatris start in Delhi with medical screening, then halt at Tanakpur, Dharchula, Gunji (a second medical check) and Nabhidhang before crossing Lipulekh Pass into Tibet. The return came back through Bundi, Chaukori and Almora to Delhi. Each stop also helps the body adjust to height.

The Nathu La route crosses from Sikkim into Tibet. IANS reported that yatris are received by Chinese customs and immigration at Nathu La and go on by bus to Yadong County in Tibet. In its 2026 announcement, MEA said both routes are now fully motorable and involve very little trekking, though yatris still reach heights of about 19,500 feet (roughly 5,900 m). So the three weeks are mostly travel, medical checks and halts for the body to adjust, not long walks.

The MEA yatra is open to Indian citizens aged 18 to 70, selected by computerised draw. Applications for 2026 closed on 19 May 2026. The official yatra website says the yatra is held from June to August or September each year. Check how the process works in our Kailash Mansarovar registration guide.

How many days does a private yatra via Nepal take?

Private yatras go through Nepal and are run by authorised operators with a Chinese group visa and Tibet permits. They are shorter mainly because there is no draw, no Delhi medical screening stay and fewer halts on the way in. There are three common ways.

• By road from Kathmandu (11 days): Kathmandu to Kerung via the Rasuwagadhi border, one rest day at Kerung, then Saga, Lake Mansarovar, Darchen and the 3-day parikrama, and back the same way.
• From Lucknow via Nepalgunj, Simikot and Hilsa (9 days): road to Nepalgunj, a small flight to Simikot, a helicopter to Hilsa, then a drive to Purang (Taklakot). There is a full rest day at Purang before the lake and the parikrama.
• Via Lhasa (14 days): fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa, then drive west over the Tibetan plateau through Shigatse and Saga to Mansarovar. It takes longer, with more days of road travel across Tibet. Our 11-day package page suggests this longer plan for first-time high-altitude yatris and elders.

If time is very short, a 5-day helicopter yatra from Lucknow gives Mansarovar puja and darshan of Kailash from Yam Dwar, but it does not include the parikrama.

What does an 11-day yatra from Kathmandu look like, day by day?

This outline follows our road yatra from Kathmandu via Kerung. Heights are approximate.

Do not book your flight home for the same day you return to Kathmandu. Keep at least one spare day after the yatra. Reported: since 2023, biometrics (fingerprints) are compulsory for the Chinese visa and yatris must be present in person, as The Kathmandu Post reported. So you may need to reach Kathmandu a few days before the yatra starts. Ask us for the exact number of days for your batch.

How many days is the Kailash parikrama?

The outer parikrama (kora) around Mount Kailash is about 52 km and takes 3 days. It starts and ends at Darchen (about 4,670 m).

1. Day 1: Darchen or Yam Dwar to Dirapuk, about 6 to 7 hours of walking.
2. Day 2: Dirapuk to Zuthulpuk over Dolma La (about 5,630 m), about 22 km in 9 to 12 hours. This is the hardest day.
3. Day 3: Zuthulpuk to the road head, about 3 hours of walking, then a vehicle back.

Yatris who do not walk can wait at Darchen and still have darshan of the mountain. Our Kailash parikrama guide covers ponies, porters and what to carry.

How many acclimatisation days should I plan?

Acclimatisation means giving your body time to get used to thin air at height. Lake Mansarovar is about 4,590 m and Dolma La about 5,630 m, so this matters for everyone, young or old.

• Plan at least one full rest day on the way up. Our road yatra rests at Kerung, and our Lucknow yatra rests a full day at Purang (about 3,900 m).
• Most organised yatras give a couple of days of adjustment, often around Mansarovar, before the parikrama begins.
• On rest days, walk a little, drink plenty of water and avoid heavy effort.
• Speak to your doctor before the yatra about altitude medicine, especially if you have heart disease, high blood pressure or breathing problems.
• Keep one or two spare days in your plan. Flights to Simikot and helicopters to Hilsa depend on clear weather, and delays are common.

If you feel unwell at height, tell your group leader at once. Going down is the safest step.

How many days should a family block in total?

The package days count only from the start city back to the start city. When you plan leave from work or school, add these:

• Travel to the start city: Kathmandu for the road and Lhasa yatras, Lucknow for the Simikot yatra, Delhi for the Lipulekh MEA yatra (2025 plan).
• Visa and permit days: for private yatras, time in Kathmandu for the Chinese group visa if it is processed there. In June 2026, MEA advised Indians not to start the journey until all travel documents are in hand, after reports that about 52 Indians were stranded in Kathmandu.
• Spare days: one or two for weather delays on flights, helicopters and mountain roads.
• Travel home: the day after the yatra ends, not the same day.

How Yatra To Temples can help

We arrange private Kailash yatras via Nepal: the 11-day road yatra from Kathmandu, the 9-day yatra from Lucknow, the 14-day yatra through Lhasa and a 5-day helicopter yatra without parikrama. For extra days, spare buffer days or custom dates, ask us.

Frequently asked questions

Kailash Mansarovar yatra kitne din ki hoti hai?

The MEA government yatra takes about 22 days via Lipulekh and about 21 days via Nathu La. Private yatras via Nepal take about 9 to 14 days, depending on the route. The parikrama itself is 3 days.

What is the shortest Kailash Mansarovar Yatra?

A helicopter yatra from Lucknow via Nepalgunj, Simikot and Hilsa can be done in 5 days, but it covers only Mansarovar and darshan from Yam Dwar. With the full parikrama, the shortest route we run is 9 days from Lucknow.

Which route takes the longest?

The MEA yatra via Lipulekh, at about 22 days. In the 2025 plan it included medical tests in Delhi and Gunji and several halts in Uttarakhand before crossing into Tibet.

Is the 2026 MEA yatra still open for applications?

No. The 2026 yatra ran from June to August and applications closed on 19 May 2026. The dates for the next season are not yet announced, so watch kmy.gov.in for the next notice.

Can I do the yatra without the parikrama?

Yes. Many senior yatris stay at Darchen or take darshan from Yam Dwar instead of walking. This can shorten the yatra, as in our 5-day helicopter yatra.

Which ID do I need for the Nepal route?

You need a valid Indian passport, with at least six months of validity as per the June 2026 MEA advisory, because you enter Tibet with a Chinese group visa and Tibet permits. For entering Nepal, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu lists only a valid Indian passport or an original voter ID card issued by the Election Commission; Aadhaar, PAN card and driving licence are not accepted.

Why should I keep spare days?

Mountain weather can delay flights to Simikot, helicopters to Hilsa and road travel in Tibet. A spare day or two keeps your return journey stress-free.